Automatic olive pitting machine



`lune 24, 1941. E. RDRAKE' 2,246,843

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AUTOMATIC OLIVE PITTING MACHINE` Filed DSG. l5, 1938 13 Sheets-Sheet 7 June 24, 1941. y E. P. DRAKE 2,245,843

` AUTOMATIC OLIVE FITTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 15, 1938 13 sheets-sheet a mnlllHHIllH @www June 24, 1941. E, R BRAKE v2,246,443

AUTOMATIC OLIVE FITTING MACHIN Filed Dec. 15,*1938' 13 Sheets-Sheet 9 Zan/Aka .E QQAKE,

E. P. DRAKE AUTOMATIC OLIVE PITTING MACHINE `lune 24, 1941.

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Patented June 24, 1941 2,246,843 AUTOMATIC OLIVE FITTING` MACHINE Edward P. Drake, Los Angeles, Calif., assignorA to Lindsay Ripe Olive Company', Lindsay', Calif.,

a corporation VApplicationv December 13, 1938, Serial No. 245,431y

12 claims..

This invention relates to the fruit packing industry, and is an automatic machine for pitting olives in preparation for packing them in jars or cans.

It is intended to handle o-lives of a predetermined regular grade as to size. Different grades may be put through at different times by substituting certain parts to accommodate olives of. the grades to be pitted.

In removing pits from olives 'it is necessary that each olive be firmly held or advanced in a predetermined posit-ion While a punch enters from one end of the olive and is forced longitudinally therethrough, or the olive is thrust against the punch, to push the pit out through the other end of the olive. The pit, however, may not be struck out through the side of the olive, as

yto do so practically destroys the olive. This is because yboth olive and pit are oblong.

Previous machines for pitting olives have been introduced. In one of these the olives are individually placed by hand in dies which hold the olives during the punching operation. The slowness, expense, and danger to the attendants of such hand fed machines make their useA unsatisfactory for large commercial production. This machine is not automatic, in that it must be hand fed. It must be remembered, moreover, that there are also machines used for pitting cherries and other globular fruits in'which the seed or pit may be ejected through any part oi the wall,r and which will not perform on olives.

In my co-pending application, Serial Number 160,380, filed August ,23, 1937, which has matured to Patent No. 2,205,397 granted June 25, 1940, I have disclosed what 1 believe to be the first olive pitting machine in which olives are fed automatically to -the pit ejecting mechanism. My present application is; a continuation in' part of that one.

Objects of my invention are to provide a machine adapted: to handle a continuous supply of olives, which may be from boxes or any other bulk delivery into a hopper; to transfer from the hoppera continuous flow of olives to a. metering device which spaces their travel; to position the olives in the region `of a die and punch mechanism; to eject the pits of the olives longitudinally thereof by the combined action of a die and punch; and to deliver the pitted olives in one container, and the pits in another.

Another object is to provide a dual' die and punch mechanism which doubles the output with but a slight increase in the space occupied by a single such mechanism. K g

Another object is to provide a unique design of die which makes a circular cut in the end of the olives opposite to the end at which the punch enters, to facilitate the uncton Qi the punch, and enable the pit to be more cleanly severed from the meat of the olive.

The features which make this machine especially suitable for pitting olives, do not in any Way detract from its utility for pitting cherries and other globular fruits.

Other objects yand advantages will appear from further description.

In the drawings- Figure r1 is a side elevation of the machine.

Figure 2 is a somewhat enlarged section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a considerably enlarged side elevation of the hopper, feed and metering mechanism, seen from the side opposite that of Figure 1.

Figure 4` is a fragmentary section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3, illustrating the delivery passages vin a vibrating tray.-

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectionY taken on line 5-5' of Figure 3, showing parts of the inclined feeding and positioning mechanism.

Figure 6 is a plan of the vibrating tray, as seen from the arrow 6' in Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a section of the metering device taken on` line '|-1 of Figure 3.

Figure 8 is an enlarged side View, partly in section,.on the line 8-8 of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary section taken on line 9-9 of Figure 8.

Figure 10' isV a fragmentary section' taken on Iline ID--Hl` of Figure 8.

Figure 11` is an enlarged side View, partly in section, of thesam'e region of the metering device as shown in Figure 8', but taken on the line II-H of Figure 7.

Figure 12 is a chart of the cam action of the cams in the metering device.

Figure'13 is a section, on the line l3|3 of Figure 2, showing the central and lower portion `of the machine.

Figure 14 is a similar view taken on line |4-I4 vof Figure 2.

Figure 15 is a plan, with parts in section, of the main drum, cooperating cams, dies and punches, drawn to a hypothetical plane for purposes of. illustration.

spacer and finger gripping device seen previously in Figure 2, etc.

Figure 22 is a section taken on line 22-22 of Figure 21.

Figure 23 is a chart of the cam action of the cams cooperating with the main drum, and has particular reference to Figure 15.

Figure 24 is a fragmentary section on the line 24-24 of Figure 14 illustrating the stripping of an olive which has been turned across the die and punch and remains unpitted.

Figure 25 is a longitudinal section of a modified form of die, and its cooperating punch.

Figures 26 and 27 show the die of Figure 25 in successive stages of operation.

Figure 28 is a diagrammatic view of the device showing in one View the successive steps performed by the machine on the fruit operated upon.

A frame F, of suitably rigid construction, supports the various parts of the machine.

For convenience in describing, I will refer to a feeding device 33, a metering device 3|, a spacing and positioning mechanism 32, and a punching mechanism 33. This is the order in which olives pass through the elements of the machine.

The feeding device comprises a hopper 4l), the lower constricted end of which communicates with a vibrating tray 4| having a plurality of delivery passages 42. Each passage is deep enough and wide enough to freely accommodate a single line of olives O. I have designed the present machine with four such delivery channels or passages formed in the tray 4|, being separated by longitudinal dividing ns 43. Olives poured into the hopper 4U descend by gravity through its lower oonstricted end, and are distributed into the four delivery passages 42.`

The tray 'il is mounted upon a plurality of webs 58 slightly inclined from the vertical, which are in turn carried upon a base plate The webs 5i) have sufficient rigidity to support the tray in its normal horizontal elevated position, but are flexible enough to permit vibration of the tray by a magnetic vibrator 52 of conventional design, the armature of which is connected at 53 to one end of the tray. The base plate 5| is mounted upon coil springs 54 to isolate the vibration of the tray from the frame F.

Vibration of the tray causes olives to travel along the delivery passages 42 Atoward the metering device which will be next described.

Y The purpose of this metering device is to receive the olives from the four delivery passages, space their subsequent travel, and divert them into two inclined positioning chutesor troughs SQ (see Figures 7 to 11 inclusive). It has been found that four of the delivery passages are advisable to assure a continuous supply of olives to two positioning chutes. Immediately below the metering device, the upper ends of the chutes are divided into four receiving mouths 6| forming in effect extensions of the delivery passages 4|. Adjacent pairs of these mouths converge at 62 into the single chutes G0.

'Ihe metering device has four units, one to serve each receivingmouth, a complete description of one of which units will suffice.

Mounted in an extension Fl of the frame is a stationary shaftl li?. Journaled to'rock on this shaft is a retaining finger and a cooperating holding nger l2. The nger 'H is in the-formY of a crank having an arm 'Ha and a tip '||b. The arm is provided with a roller 'l5 which makes contact with a cam 18 hereinafter described. 'I'he tip engages the olives, in turn, as they enter mouth 6|, permitting them to enter one at a time Y into the space between tip 1lb and holding finger 4Cil 12. Rise and fall of the tip 1lb, effected by action of the cam 16, secures this function. There is room for only one olive between the tip 'Hb and the finger '|2. After an olive has been allowed to pass tip 'Hb it lodges momentarily against finger '|2.

Finger 12 is also in the form of a crank, provided with an arm which has a roller 18 bearing on a cam 19 later described, which causes a rise and fall of the nger '12, alternating with the rise and fall of tip' 1lb.

'I'here being an olive lodged against nger l2, the timing of the cams is such that when tip 'Hb falls into the positionV shown in dotted lines in Figure 11, finger 'l2 rises into the position shown in Figure 8. Olives crowding into the mouth 6| are thus retained there, while the olive momentarily lodged against finger 12 is released, and rolls by gravity down chute EU, where it is caught by a spacer 90.

This action of the retaining finger and holding finger 12 prevents more than one olive at a time passing finger 12, which is important to the subsequent handling of the olive.

Springs 5| yieldably urge the retaining nger ll and holding finger 'l2 against the respective cams 'I6 and 7S.

These camsv are keyed to a shaft 92 which is journaled in the frame extension FI. Each cam is designed with two raised portions, thus causing the finger it actuates to rise and fall twice with each revolution. The raised portions of the cams 'i5 are olfset 90 from those of the cams 19, being secured to the shaft; 92 in pairs, for the cooperative action of a unit consisting of a retaining linger and a holding finger 12.

By reference to the chart of Figure l2, the complete cam action will be clear. The timing provides alternate releasing of olives in adjacent receving'mouths 6|, at a rate to deposit one olive upon each spacer 9B as the spacer passes in a manner to be later described.

Shaft 92, and consequently cams 16 and |9 are driven by the following means: Referring to Figure 1, an electric motor M is mounted on frame F. On the shaft of the motor is a pinion |0U,

rmeshing with a gear ||i| keyed to a shaft |02.

Onv the shaft |52 is a small gear |03, which meshes with a large gear |04. This gear meshes with a smaller gear |05 keyed to shaft |05a to which is attached a sprocket |06 (see Figure 13). Driven by this sprocket is an endless chain which travels over an intermediate sprocket and an upper sprocket I2. This latter sprocket; is keyed to a shaft I3 journaled in the frame extension F| (see Figure '7). At the end of the shaft ||3 opposite the sprocket ||2 is a gear ||4 which meshes with an intermediate gear 5, and this in turn meshes with a gear ||6 keyed to the cam shaft 92. Power from the motor is thus transmitted through the agencies mentioned to the cams 'I6 and 19 for the purposes already described, and to other moving parts as will presently appear.

The spacing and positioning mechanism 32 begins at the upper end of the chutes and includes various associated mechanism from that point in the travel of the olive until the olive has been seized by the die and punch in the centrai part of the machine. It consists primarily of chutes 6U, spacing means including the spacer 9D, and gripping devices which come into play near the lower end of the chutes, and cooperate with the spacers 90 to grip the olivev and correctly hold it to be received by the die.

The chutes each comprise a trough having vertical side walls |25 and a bottom |2| U shaped in cross section near the hopper and as in Figure 9, and feathering into va V shaped cross sec-1 tion toward the lower end, as in Figure l0. The width of the trough is slightly greater than the length of the olives to be pitted. The chute is slotted as at |22 for a space adjacent its lower end for a purpose later disclosed.

To one side of each chute is anangle iron guide bar |25 fastened to a bracket |26 on the frame extension. This guide bar furnishes a track support for the chain 1li) in its descent, the chain being aligned slightly to one side of the chute 6B, and parallel thereto.

Secured to every third link in the chain is the spacer 9|) previously referred to (see Figure 10). Each spacer consists of a Y shaped bracket |35 substituted for the chain link plate on one side of the chain, to which bracket is screwed for lateral adjustment a member |3| bent at right angles, the end extending into the chute G, and adapted to travel freely therein.

Olives descend in the chute, rolling and sliding behind the spacers 90. No matter what the posil andthe length of travel to the lower end of thev chute result in the olive invariably assuming a position with its longitudinal axis transverse of the chute as it approaches the lower end thereof.

I have found that a chute which has a V cross section its entire length will function to turn the olives crosswise in the chute most of the time;r but that occasionally an olive, striking the bottom of the chute squarely on one end will roll down end over end and fail to assume a crosswise position. To eliminate this possibility, the upper end of the chute has a U cross section as described. Olives rolling upon this form of chute will always topple one way or the other. As this rounded, almost flat bottom section of the chute merges into the section with the more sharply inclined walls, the olives, having toppled to one side or the other, eventually end their downward journey rolling barrel-like in the chute with theiry axis transverse thereof.

The slot |22 is not wide enoughfto affect the movement or position of the olive. It does permit, however, a narrow gripper (see Figure 13) to enter behind the olive and close in upon same, the olive being gripped between gripper and spacer 911 as at |32. The gripper and spacer travel together in this relationship almost'to the position of the olive at` |33 (Figure i3) at which time the die and punch have seized the olive, the spacer travels on tangentially, and the gripper is retracted.

Upon leaving the guide bar |25, the chain |||V follows the contour of a drum |45 which is a part of the die and punch mechanism and issupported thereby on a cylindrical track HH; having served its function, the chain passes around sprocket Q5 and returns over sprocket to the upper sprocket |12. The grippers |311 are so intimately involved with the die and punch mechanism, that a de-` tailed description of them must follow a partial description of this latter mechanism.

Referring now especially to Figure 2, a main shaft |55 is journaled in'end bearings 15| which are carried by the frame F. This main shaft has of bifurcated annular flanges |51. These flangesy are spaced apart somewhat more than the length of an olive, and have regularly spaced holes |53 and |59 in a series concentric with the axis of the disc. The holes |58 are of a diameter large enough to accommodate passage of a punch, and small enough to reject an olive. The holes |59 are large enough to accommodate a die the outer diameter of which is slightly greater than the diameter of an olive. These holes alternate in the series, and the series on opposite flanges are offset so that hole |58 in one flange is concentric with the hole |59 in the opposite flange. 'I'his is. well illustrated in Figures 2 and 14.

Except for the gear |04 and the unitary disc |55, the die and punch units on each side of. line l-ldof Figure 2 are twins, and only one will be described in detail.

Fixed to the bearing |5|, andY if desired, cast therewith, is a cam barrel |60. This of course remains stationary. This cam barrel provides three separate cams: an internal gripper cam |51, an external die cam |62, and an external punch cam |63.

The gripper cam |6| comprises a cam race |65 of the irregular contour illustrated, formed Yupon the inner face of an annular flange |55 which is part of the cam barrel. The physical configuration of this track may be seen in Figure 13, and its action and relation to the die cam and punch camv is analyzed in the chart, Figure 23. Its purpose is to operate and control the grippers |31).

2l and 22), secured to and arranged to be given apartial rotation by the shaft |65. At the end of the shaft opposite the member la is keyed a crank |85, upon which is a roller adapted to follow the gripper cam |61. A coil spring |81 is positioned upon the outer kend of the shaft |81) to urge the crank |35 toward the face of the cam Referring back to Figure 13, it will be seen Vthat as the drum |40- rotates, carrying with it rthe grippers |35,th,e rollers on the cranksy ofthe grippers follow the cam ISI. The grippers are thus heldin an inactive (retracted) position until reaching the slot |22 in thechute $5.1, at which point the cam face rece-des rather abruptly, and permits the spring |81 to urge the gripper member |3la forward against an olive which is fol.- lowing one of the spacers (see Figure 22). The depression in the cam extends for 62 during the passing of which the die and punch have approached to seize the olive as laterv described.'

The cam face there advances slightly and opens the gripper to assure that it clears thevr die, which as seen in the subsequent description, has moved into the region occupied by the gripper. Y'I'his advanced cam face extendsV to a point where in its rotation with the drum the gripper might interfere with an extended punch, and thecarn face there further advances to move the gripper back for clearance of the punch. .The cam permits this inactive, or retracted position of the gripperto be maintained to the starting point described. As further particulars of the cam design and action are disclosed in the chart, Figure 23, no more detailed definition is deemed necessary here.

For an understanding of additional details of the die and punch mechanism, reference should be made to Figures 16, 17, and 18. The dies are generally designated by the numeral 200, and the punches 20|. They are all alike.

The drum. |40 is formed with peripheral flanges 202, 203, and 204. A series of aligned holes 202a, 20311, and 204a are provided in these respective flanges, the first two holes to furnish a slide bearing for the die, and the third one to secure a stationary mandrel 2I0.

Comprising each die is an outer sleeve 2| slidably'fitting in the bearing 203e. A collar 2|2 encloses a portion of the sleeve, and is attached thereto. This collar has a rectangular shank 2|3 which is arranged to slide in a longitudinal guide slot 2M in the drum. Extending below the shank is a stub shaft 2 I 5 upon which is mounted a roller 2|6 which extends into the raceway and engages the walls of the die cam |62. As the drum rotates carrying with it dies 200, the roller or cam follower 2|6 travels through the raceway, over a varying contour as illustrated in Figure 15.

Slidable within the sleeve 2 I I is an inner sleeve 222 which has a stop nut 223 at one end to abut against the end 22d of the sleeve 2| I. The other end of sleeve 222 extends through and beyond the end of the inner sleeve. At the forward end of the outer sleeve is threaded an outer die member 225 within which tightly fits a circular die knife 220. The outer die member is slidably supported in the bearing 202e.

A coil spring 230 extends over an intermediate length of the inner sleeve 222, bearing at one end on the collar 2|2 and at the other against the inner end of die member 225. Thus, movement of the collar 2I2, imparted by the cam, in the direction of arrow A (Figure 16), is transmitted to the die member and die knife through spring 230.

The mandrel 2|0 extends through the inner sleeve 222 the greater part of its length. VIt has a reduced threaded end 235, passing through a pair of cooperating flanged washers 230 which are clamped together in the hole 200G, to secure the mandrel rigidly in place. This means of mounting the mandrel is to enable the die to be withdrawn through hole 200e when disassembling for repairs, etc.

The forward end of the die member 225 is countersunk at 231 in the form of a cup to receive an olive. The die knife projects into the countersunk recess and has a sharp circular edge 238 adapted to cut through the skin and into the meat of the olive.

When the die is advanced to seize the olive, the olive first encounters the knife, and upon further pressure enters more fully into the countersunk recess 231. The knife is ground to form a slightly cormtersunk opening at the edge, so that even if an olive is somewhat misaligned, the pit upon being pushed through by the punch will be deflected by the inner wall of the knife and be wholly removed from Ythe olive. Pits Yupon removal are temporarily retained in the ber 225 is retracted as shown in Figure 18. In advancing, the die travels through a hole |59 in the bifurcated disc |51, so that the olive is carried into the central cavity of the disc for the completion of the pitting operation.

To make the twin units most; efcient, a series of dies as described is carried on each of' the drums |40.

Positioned on each drum alternately with the dies is a series of the punches 20|, the punches on one of the drums axially aligning with the dies on the opposite drum.

One of the punches is shown in detail in Figures 19 and 20. This one is carried on the drum opposite the drum carrying the particular die last described. The body of the punch is a plunger 250 which has a sliding t in bearings 25| and 252 formed in the flanges 202 and 203. The plunger may be inserted or withdrawn through a hole 253 in flange 204.

Secured to the plunger by a set screw 260 is a collar 26| having a guide shank 262 extending below to slide in a guide slot 263 in the drum similar to the slot 2M. Secured in the shank is a stub shaft 264 upon which is carried a roller or camrfollower 265 engaging in the raceway of cam |63. As the cam follower moves along the contour of the cam, through rotation of the drum upon which the punch is mounted, the plunger is advanced and retracted. The forward end of the plunger has a tapered bore 210 into which is driven the shank 21| of a tip 212. Hole 213 is provided for driving out tip when disassembling. It is made preferably of metal havingV Some spring characteristics so that it will spring rather than break if deflected by an olivo pit. I have found it advantageous to make the end of the tip slightly cupped, as at 212a. Such form serves better than a flat end in attacking the pit. The tip is formed with a barb 214 which will easily penetrate the olive but will offer some resistance to the olive being withdrawn. This is for the purpose of removing the olive from the die after the pit has been punched out. When, however, the olive encounters one of the flanges |51 and the punch is further retracted, the olive is stripped oi and falls into a hopper 280 (see Figure 2). Pits fall and are deposited in hoppers 28| and 282. Hopper 280 has an inclined bottom 280a which causes olives to be delivered toward the rear of the machine, and hoppers 28| and 282 have bottoms 28| a and 282a which deflect pits toward the front of the machine. Olives and pits are thus separately deposited in containers or upon traveling belts, as desired.

If for any reason an olive should be turned in the gripper or die and be presented with its longitudinal axis across the die and punch, the punch penetrates only part way through the olive at which time it presses the pit against the knife of the die. Continued pressure results in the die yielding by lreason of spring 230', thus preventing the parts from, breaking. As the tip does not under such circumstances enter into the olive far enough for the barb to take hold, .the die retains the olive and upon retraction the olive is knocked from the die by mandrel 2|0, and the olive falls with the pits. Thus, only pitted olives are deposited in the hopper intended for them.

Occasionally an olive which has been turned so it is not pitted, as illustrated in Figure 24, sticks to the punch instead of dropping immediately into the pit hopper. To prevent these olives from being drawn with the punches through holes |59 and falling into the khopper 'with vthe pitted olives, I provide the following safeguard: Dividing walls 284 and 285 between the pitted olive hopper and the hoppers for Vpits are eX- tended upwardly and their forward upper `edges curved as at 286 concentric with the bifurcated flanges |51 and partially overlapping same adjacent their outer faces. VCurved slots 281 but slightly wider than the diameter of the holes |58 'are formed in the upwardextension of the sidewalls in the path of rotation of the punches. The mouths 288 of the slots are about past the lowest point inv the cycle of rotation of lthe drum |40, at which point pitted olives have been withdrawn through the holes |50 as shown by dotted lines in Figure 24. Olives misaligned and therefore not lpitted and which have stuck on the punches as shown in Vfull lines in Figure 24, are vcarried up along the outside of the wall 281| or 285, the punches traveling in the slots 281, and upon further retraction of the punches are stripped off against the Wall 235 or 285 and fall into one of the pit hoppers;

A study of Figures 15 and 23 will reveal in more detail the die and punch movements; The cam barrels are stationary and the drums rotate, so that the pitting operation may be completed at the lower part of the cycle. In tracing movement of the dies and punches, it is necessary to follow the die and die cam on one of the drums, and the corresponding punch and punch cam on the other drum. As well as illustrating all of the dies and punches, Figure 11,5 may be read to show the progressive travel'of any one die and punch, which will next be described.

In position 306 the cams are at dwell and the die and punch retracted. At 300er the punch has started forward, which vrmovement is continued at 30|. Between the positions 30| and 302 the die has advanced while'the'punch continued in its advance, and the olive O has been seized between the die and punch. After a short dwell the die continues its advance through positions 333 and 304, during which time the punch is at dwell in its extreme advanced position. The peak of forward movement of the die occurs between 30d and 304:1, during which the pit isV forced from the olive into the sleeve 223. At 305 the die is retracting and has released the olive to thepunch. At 306 `the olive is being stripped from the punch, while the die has a short dwell, and at 301 the olive is released, the die continues its retraction, and at 308 and 309 the die remains at dwell in its fully retracted position. The punch retracts between positions 305r and 301, and it remains at dwell through positions 308 and 309 in its fully retracted position.

An auxiliary device for insuring that olives and pits are stripped from the punches and dies is shown particularly in Figures 13 and 14. This consists of a small gear 325 meshing with gears 326 and 321. These gears are keyed to shafts 32661. and 321a' respectively, upon which star wheels 329 and 330 are mounted. Wheels 329 are located to rotate close to the ends of the dies in their fully retracted position. Wheel`330 is located to rotate within the flanges |51. Gear 325 derives its rotation from the large gear |04, and serves through gears 325 and 321 toydrive the star wheels. Thesewheels are preferably made of an artificial rubber composition which cornbines flexibility with resistance against deterioration from the acid present in olives. Occasionally a pit will adhere to the end of the die mandrel,

and if this happens, the star wheel 329 will brush whichthe meat is relatively soft.

it off. Star wheel 338 performs the same function .upon olives which happen to cling to the punch. The star wheel 330 may comprise .two similar brushing members on the same hub in order to catch olives on Aeither kof the anges |51.

The operation of the machine, is continuous. Olives placed in bulk in the receiving hopper are distributed in the delivery7 passages of the vibrating tray, are .transported by the vibration thereof to themetering device, where olives in adjacent pairs of passages are alternately deposited in the positioning chutes. While traveling down :these chutes, the olives are caused to assume a position with their individual axes rparallel to the drums by the action which is imparted by the design of bottom of the chutes, and are held properly spaced by the spacers on the endless chain. At the lower end of the chutes the grippers on the' drum cooperate with the spacers to hold the olives and bring them into line with the dies and punches. The olives are seized first by the dies advancing in succession as the drums rotate, and thenV speared by the punches. The grippers having performed their chief function are held-back by the gripper cam as their revolution onv the drum carries them successively around to the point of starting. The dies and punches advance to punch out the pits, which are retained vin the inner sleeves of the dies until the dies are retracted, whereupon the ends of the dies leave' the mandrels exposed, and the pits having no support, fall into one of the delivery .hoppers yThe olives are retained upon the tips of the punches by the action of the barbs thereon, until the punches are retracted vand the olives stripped off against the anges of the bifurcated disc, whereupon they fall vinto the olive delivery hopper, vand are discharged therefrom into a container or upon a traveling belt.

I disclose a modified form of die in Figures 25, 26 and `27, in which means are provided to raid the punch in removing the olive from the die after `the pit has been punched out. It has particular utility for pitting green-ripe olives, in I have found that such olives are sometimesheld by vacuum in the cup of the die previously described, or held upon the die knife, the olive being so soft that the barb on the punch tears the olive instead of withdrawing it.

In mymodied form of die, I provide spring electing means to push vthe olive from the die.

This is accomplished by forming sleeve 225 with a deep longitudinal recess 335 ending atan annular shoulder 336. Sliding in the recess between the knife and sleeve is a countersunk collar 331. Limits of longitudinal movement are provided by a set screw 338 engaging either end of a slot 333. A compression spring 350 is seated in the recess abutting at one end against the shoulder 335 and at the other against the collar 331.

Where the olive rst .encounters the die kas in Figure 25, it impinges upon the knife 22 6. Ad-

vancement of the die causes the knife to enter the olive, and the collar 331 to retreat against the yielding pressure of the spring 340, forming an olive'receiving cup 32| (see Figure 26).

The tension of the spring is such` that it will yield to the force necessary to punch the pit from the olive, but when the pit is pushed through and the force of the punch against the olive thusrelieved; the'spring will thrust the collar 331 to its outer extremity as in Figure 27, pushing the olive ahead of it off vthe knife and further onto the punch, the olive cup being so reduced in depth by this movement of the collar as to offer slight, if any resistance to removal of the olive from the die, enabling the punch to retain the olive until stripped into the pitted olive hopper.

I claim as my invention:

1. An olive pitting machine comprising a pair of drums on a common axis, means to rotate the drums, a plurality of olive receiving dies on one drum and pit punches on the other drum, means to deliver and position a continuous bulk supply of olives one at a time at intervals coinciding with the rotary travel of the dies and punches and with the longitudinal axes of the olives in alignment therewith, and cam means to reciprocate the dies and punches with opposite motions to remove the pits from the olives.

2. A device as in claim l in which the cam means includes stationary cam barrels inside of the drums with raceways in the peripheral faces thereof, and followers on the dies and punches traveling in the raceways.

3. An olive pitting machine comprising cooperating dies and punches to hold the olives and punch out the pits, means to deliver and position the olives with the longitudinal axis of each olive aligned with the axis of a die and punch, said means including a sloping chute having a slot adjacent the lower end thereof, a traveling chain provided with spacers thereon extending downwardly into said chute, a rotating drum, and grippers carried upon the drum and adapted to advance upwardly through the slot in the chute toward the spacers to grip olives therebetween and to travel in synchronism with the spacers.

4. An olive pitting machine comprising a pair of drums on a common axis, means to rotate the drums, a plurality of olive receiving dies on one drum and pit punches on the other drum, each die being aligned with a punch, means to deliver and position the olives between the dies and punches with the longitudinal axis of each olive aligned with the axis of an aligned die and punch, said means including a traveling chain, spacers thereon, and grippers adapted to advance towards the spacers to grip olives therebetween and to travel in synchronism with the spacers, and means to reciprocate the dies and punches with opposite motions to remove the pits from the olives.

5. An olive pitting machine comprising a pair of drums on a common axis, means to rotate the drums, a plurality of olive receiving dies on one drum and pit punches on the other drum, each die being aligned with a punch, means to deliver and position the olives between the dies and punches with the longitudinal axis of each olive aligned with the axis of an aligned die and punch, said means including a traveling chain, spacers thereon, and grippers carried upon the drum which carries the die.

6. An olive pitting machine comprising a pair of drums on a common axis, means to rotate the drums, a plurality of olive receiving dies on Vone drum and pit punches on the other drum, and cams actuating the dies and punches to mutually advance and retract, each of said dies comprising a relatively stationary mandrel, and av sleeve enclosing the mandrel and adapted to slide thereon, the sleeve having an olive receiving cup at one end.

'7. An olive pitting machine comprising a pair of drums on a common axis, means to rotate the drums, a plurality of olive receiving dies on one drum and pit punches on the other drum, and

cams actuating the dies and punches to mutually advance and retract, each of said dies comprising a relatively stationary mandrel, a sleeve enclosing the mandrel and adapted to slide thereon, the sleeve having an olive receiving cup at one end, and a circular knife extending into the cup a sufficient distance to engage an olive before the olive is completely seated inthe cup and to make a deep incision in the olive when it is fully seated.

8. An olive pitting machine comprising a pair Vof drums, means to rotate the drums, a plurality of olive receiving dies on one drum and pit punches on the other drum, means to reciprocate the dies and punches with opposite motions to remove pits from the olives, each of said punches comprising a slidable plunger, and a tip thereon having an olive retaining barb to withdraw the olive from the die after the punching operation, and means mounted on and rotating with the drum carrying the punches to obstruct passage of the olives beyond a predetermined point as the punches are retracted after the punching operation, permitting the olives to fall by gravity at a point separated from the pits.

9V. A device of the character described in claim 8 in which the last named means comprises a stripper plate provided with holes in alignment with the punches large enough for the punches to vpass through Abut not large enough for the olives to pass through. Y

10. An olive pitting machine comprising a pair of drums on a common axis, means to rotate the drums, a plurality of olive receiving'dies on one d rurn and pit punches on theY other drum, means to reciprocate the dies and punches with opposite motions to remove the pits from the olives, means to withdraw the olives from the dies after the pits have been removed, and means to eject the pits from the dies after the pitted olives have been withdrawn and at a point separated from the pitted olives, said last4 named means in each die comprising a mandrel, and a sleeve slidable thereon.'

11. An olive pitting machine comprising a pair of drums, means to rotate the drums, a plurality of olive receiving dies on onev drum and pit punches on the other drum, means to reciprocate the dies and punches with opposite motions to remove the pits from the olives, means on the punches to withdraw the olives from the dies, means to obstruct passage of the olives beyond a predetermined point as the punches areV withdrawn after the punching operation permitting the olives to fall by gravity at a point separated from the pits, and brush members adapted to rotate in the region where the olives are disengaged from the punches to remove any olives which have failed to drop.

l2. In an olive pitting machine, olive positioning means comprising an inclined chute having a U shaped cross section at the u'pper'end portion and merging into a V shaped cross section at the lower end portion by which olives introduced into the upper end of said chute if 0n end are caused to topple at least partially sidewise by gravity and in traveling down said chute assumeva position with their longitudinal axes crosswise of the chute, means to introduce olives into the upper end of the chute, means to grip and remove olives from the lower end of the chute and present them to a die and punch mechanism for pitting, and a die and punch mechanism rfor removing the pits.

EDWARD P. D RAKE. 

